I Love My Family 2010
by BloodsuckingLeech
Summary: After a particularly bad couple of days at the hospital, Carlisle comes home to find his beloved family acting like a bunch of frat boys gone completely mental! He has had enough and is ready to 'clean house.' Changing POV. Ch 8--Carlisle's POV-it's FINI!
1. Chapter 1: Welcome Home In Hell

**I LOVE MY FAMILY**

**a/n: Hello lovely Twilighters and welcome to my story re-do! This was my first chapter story I wrote a few years back and is by far my favorite story, written purely out of the love I had (and still do!) for the Twilight characters. The POV changes up, giving everyone a voice. Everyone is in canon, in character but with new plot lines.**

**a/n: DISCLAIMER! Twilight belongs to Queen Stephenie Meyer and her brain. I own nothing but my brain-and the wee people who inhabit it.**

**Chapter One: A Welcome Home in Hell**

Well, it all began on a cold and stormy Saturday night at Forks General Hospital. For four days in a row now, our brave Dr. Cullen has been ankle deep in human vomit and gore and and it is starting to take a mental toll on him. He has been chomping at the bit to spend some alone time with Esme-maybe go on a nice vacation to a ski lodge or just spend a naked weekend with her at a luxury hotel in Seattle. But a recent outbreak of the puking flu has left the hospital seriously short staffed and he has had to perform menial yet important tasks such as emptying bed pans and cleaning up recently blown chunks.

"Four days, _FOUR DAYS_!!" Carlisle's mumbling to himself was getting louder.

As he walked down the center aisle in the ER waiting room dodging mid-air projectile hurling and stepping around the diaper overflow from the unemptied trashcans, he stopped to pick up something he dropped on the floor and found it had landed in some gelatinous muck. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, he ran his hand through his hair only to discover that some of the muck was now threaded through his blond locks.

He turned to face one of the nurses who was slightly tilted to the left..."Nur---" and was abruptly cut off as the poor RN pelted the front of his lab coat with barf. Carefully, deliberately, and with clenched teeth, Carlisle removes his lab coat and tosses it in a bin.

Turning to the other nurse at the desk, he says in a calm yet intense voice, "I'm taking a break. I'll be at home for the next hour or so."

"Yes Doctor Cullen," Nurse Stoker meekly responded, eying him carefully.

"Page me for _emergencies _only."

"Yes Doctor Cullen?" She looked like she wasn't quite understanding him.

"Emergencies-you know- BLOOD - GORE- BROKEN LIMBS -SURGERY-not _VOMIT_-NOT _FECES_-NOT _BEDPANS_...you got that Nurse Stoker?!?" Calming down at the end he tried to curve his tightly clamped lips into a smile but judging from her now shocked face, it probably looked more like a horror mask than anything else.

"Y-Yes Doctor Cullen, surgical emergencies only, got it." She passes him the hand sanitizer gel. He pumps a big glob into his palms and runs it through his hair. Nurse Stoker just stares wide eyed at his blond hair now sticking out wildly all over in long gel spikes.

Carlisle walks a little too fast out the side door and into the cold, night air. Taking a deep, calming breath, he runs to his car, opens the door as fast as he can unlock it and lays his head against the leather headrest, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. Esme. He needed to get home to see Esme. To touch her skin. To feel her. Her arms around him, holding him, telling him it'll be ok. To lay his head on her firm, full breasts, inhaling her scent deeply into himself. Esme. His refuge. His home. His safe harbor. Esme. Home. Breasts.

_**B E E E E E E P **_! A car seemingly comes out of nowhere and blasts it's horn, swerving just in time.

"Holy shit!" Carlisle had drifted off into his daydream ignoring the road and nearly running his Mercedes into an oncoming car.

"Wake up asshole!" The other guy yells in passing.

"Yeah, yeah..." Carlisle runs his hand over his face and through his hair causing the greasy spikes to stick together kind of Flock of Seagulls style. Every muscle is tense, every sinew stretched tight. He speeds up to over 120 and then comes to a screeching halt in his driveway.

There, sticking out the crumbling east side of the Cullen Mansion is what looks like the smashed back half of Emmett's Jeep. Carlisle, mouth hanging open, completely dumbfounded, steps out of his car and immediately sinks knee deep into a huge mud bog. On closer inspection, it appears that the muck covered Jeep is upside down and has been crashed into the once majestic house after bogging in the deep, muddy pit that was once their beautifully manicured front lawn. Edward, Emmett and Jasper, plastered head to toe in fresh brown mud are rolling around in the chocolate goo wrestling, hooting and hollering. Carlisle took in the whole chaotic scene, his fury growing. Emmett looked up just then.

"Carlisle's home!" Emmett yelled in his loud, booming voice.

"_DADDY_ !!!" The boys screamed in mock glee like little school girls in unison and started running towards him, arms widespread to "hug" their father home.

"BOYS? NO-YOU _WOULDN'T_ !! DON'T COME NEAR ME!! DON'T YOU _DARE_!" Carlisle screeched in horror, turned to run, but too late-all three mud monsters tackled him, shoving his face deep into the bog-soup. When they finally let him up, he just stared at the three Stooges who were laughing hysterically and slapping each other on the back of the neck. Expecting Carlisle to just jump in and join the merriment as always, they weren't ready for what came next. Carlisle had had enough. This was the last straw. Clenching his fists, he raised his voice to the heavens and let out a growl of frustration so loud the surrounding trees shook. The boys were shocked into paralyzed silence, all eyes on their furious mire-blanketed father.

"Carlisle?" Edward spoke first.

Gritting his teeth tightly, Carlisle can barely get the words out,"Hose yourselves off and meet me in the dining room for a family meeting. You have FIVE minutes!"

Carlisle's eyes glazed over as he ran towards the house calling for Esme. No answer. Esme! Esme! Esme! He desperately called over and over again. Rose answered him from the kitchen-

"Esme went into Portland to go fabric shopping for the new curtains for your office, Carlisle. She said she wasn't expecting you 'til tomorrow morning." She said casually.

In a effort to calm his nerves, which were on the verge of total freak out, he took 3 deep cleansing breaths, spitting out mud that dripped into his mouth. Rubbing his hand into his mucked and gelled hair which is now resembling Albert Einstein's do, if he had chocolate Magic Shell hair, he walks into the kitchen and takes in the scene there. Popcorn was littered all over the counter tops, the blender had exploded, showering the walls, ceilings and floor with pink sticky goo, there appeared to be a chocolate fondue fountain overflowing in the middle of the imported Sicilian tile and cypress kitchen island and there, surrounding the table was Alice, Rosalie, Bella, and her friend Angela Weber doing each others toenails. He did a quick 180 and noticed the living room was covered with feathers from exploded pillows.

Angela stared at Dr Cullen's calm, yet somehow maniacal expression and the mud that was now melting to the floor in a spreading puddle and excused herself, "Uh...um...I gotta go. See you at school on Monday, girls!" and beat feet to her car.

Carlisle starts mumbling to himself, turns away and heads up the stairs. He passes a window that faces out to the front lawn only to see Jasper holding Emmet down and Edward shoving the garden hose down the front of his pants. He lets out a heavy sigh and heads for the shower. Entering his empty bedroom, he looks wistfully at the empty bed where he had hoped his beautiful love would have been waiting to comfort him. Drying and dressing quickly. He takes a breath and heads down the stairs to his family waiting for him.

The girls had cleaned the kitchen and themselves up quickly and were waiting with the boys sitting around the dining room table. Carlisle entered the room and took his place at the head of the table and stood, looking into the faces of his loved ones.

"Carlisle," Edward stood up to speak respectfully, "the building supplies and sod are already waiting in the garage. Esme is not due back until tomorrow afternoon. Have no doubt, all traces of our tom-foolery will be erased long before she returns."

"The kitchen and living room are both neat and tidy again." Bella offered.

"Carlisle...we're sorry--" Jasper started to speak but Carlisle held up his hand to stop him.

"My beautiful family," Carlisle began quietly with a serene expression and a polite smile on his lips, "it occurred to me that I have raised you all wrong." Furious protests broke out from everyone in the room, who stood up immediately defending his parenting skills.

"Yes, that's all well and good. Let me continue, please. As I was saying, I have been observing lately that, well, you all have been living rather frivolous lives. Honestly, what have any of you done with the college degrees that you have all earned in the previous decades? You, Edward have two Masters in Medicine, as well as a doctorate in Humanities and what have you done with them? Each of you comes to this table with minds filled with so much more knowledge than the average person will ever have in his or her lifetime. Have you done one thing to make the years and expense you have spent equitable to the good that has come out of it?

"My brilliant, loving, funny, educated, beautiful children of mine," he spoke, looking fondly into the faces of his beloved family, "What good is having all of this knowledge if you keep it locked up in your own mind? I have come to the conclusion that this is going to change right here, right now. I swear on my honor I will not have you living lives of idle pleasure, not anymore.

"I want to see each and every one of you doing something-one thing- to make someone's life better. I challenge you all, you included Bella, as you will be joining our family soon and the sooner you learn to make good use of a life with all of the time you could ever ask for and more, the more fulfilled, enriched life you will lead. Do it as anonymously as you can. If you can not do it in a completely unknown or clandestine fashion, I will trust you to use the utmost discretion, remembering the most important rule we live by: Do not do anything so extraordinary or super human that you attract unwarranted negative attention. You have 3 days to come up with a plan and another 2 to set it in motion. We will meet here in 3 days to discuss what you have come up with. Any questions?"

Jasper hesitantly raises his finger in the air.

"Yes, Jasper, you have a question?" Carlisle crosses his arms over his chest and waits.

"Carlisle," he began meekly, "Just what are the parameters to be? The articles of engagement?"

Carlisle raises an eyebrow, fighting a smile at his Confederate soldier son's use of military terms to ask what the specific rules are involved in forming a plan of action.

"Well," Carlisle paces slowly, rubbing his chin in thought. "The gesture should be something that brings meaning to to someone's life. It should make them feel really good."

Suddenly, Edward reaches around behind Rosalie and smacks Emmett on the back of his head.

"Shit Edward !" Emmett whined, rubbing his head.

"Whatever you thought, I'm positive you deserved that," Rose snickers. Bella and Alice look at each other and giggle.

Carlisle's head snaps up suddenly, cocks his head to one side and looks anxiously up towards the ceiling. "Meeting adjourned!" He calls and was gone in a blur. Carlisle flies up the stairs to his bedroom, throws open the door off its hinges and dives head first onto the bed. Grabbing at his cell phone from under the silk comforter...

"_Oh baby when you talk like that.._

_You make a woman go mad_

_So be wise _

_And keep on _

_Reading the signs of my body_"

Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" serenaded him with the ring tone Esme had set on his phone for her number. He holds his breath as he answered...

"Esme, my Love," he cries into the phone.

"Yes, darling, I'm here." With the sound of her voice filling his ear, he finally exhales and lets all of his constricted muscles relax.

"You knew I needed you, didn't you?"

"Yes, my Love. I could feel your heart calling out to me. " Her voice, so soft, so sweet, like she was with him, next to him, whispering to him in the dark.

"I...I...uh..." The past few days events played before his eyelids...but faded away and became an unimportant memory as he listened to Esme's gentle, rhythmic breathing on the other end of the phone. "I miss you, Esme. When are you coming home to me?"

"Mmmm...Carlisle. I have some further business in Portland tomorrow. The town council is considering letting me have the architectural renovation program and tomorrow I get to speak before the committee members. But I'll be home after that. I should be in your arms by dusk. Will you be alright until then, dearest? Shall I come home now?"

He knew if he said yes, she would be home within the hour. But, ever the gentleman, Carlisle strengthened his voice and said, "No darling, you stay and finish your work. I'll be here when you get home with a nice warm bath and candles all ready for you."

"How are things at the hospital, Carlisle ? Can you get away? Can they spare you for the evening so you can join me? I am in the very suite we stayed in during my last project here. Do you remember? Although we mostly spent a great amount of time in bed very meticulously re-learning each other's bodies."

Carlisle let out a low, sexy growl remembering that weekend. There wasn't a single moment when they weren't touching or tasting each other. Esme sighed on the other end. His breath caught and he started unbuttoning his shirt. Just then his phone buzzed. "Dammit! It's the hospital. I told them to call only if they needed me. I'm sorry, my darling, I have to go. Hurry home soon. I can't wait to hold you."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, my love." Esme hung up the phone.

Carlisle whimpered softly. He straightened out the comforter and was arranging the pillows on top the way Esme liked them when he saw something sticking out from under her pillow. It was a small brown leather pouch the size and shape of a small envelope with a platinum Celtic Love Knot clasp securing it closed. Inside the pouch was a a beautiful gold antique pocket watch on an elegant, manly chain with a crystal fob hanging on it. He opened the watch to look inside and sighed..."Oh Esme," he choked back a sob as he recognized the inscription:

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."

The words spoken with uncompromising devotion by Esme to Carlisle on their wedding day.

**A/N: Quote is from Emily Bronte, 1818-1848. **

**Hey lovely Twilighters, as promised, this is the beginning of the revamped (winks) story, all corrected and pretti-ful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do—please let me know! **

**Next chapter, the family tries to do what Carlisle tasks them and to bring meaning to their lives as they bring their special brand of Love to the citizens of Forks. Called "Playboys and Peep Toes," Chapter Two is a very sweet and sexy story told from Emmet's POV. **

**Love and lemondrops!**

**BSL**


	2. Chapter 2: Playboys and Peep Toes

**I LOVE MY FAMILY**

**Chapter Two: Playboys and Peep-Toes**

**Emmett's Story**

After Esme got home, she and Carlisle barricaded themselves in their bedroom and we all cleared out to give them some privacy. Hard to get it on when there's all these Vampires standing around with Vampire hearing and all. I've been told by Edward on more than one occasion that he has to go out of Forks altogether when Rose and I do it. Snarky virgin boy is just frustrated. Anyways, Alice and Jasper had gone off for a walk to think about what Carlisle asked us all to do. Rose was in the garage, changing the oil on her BMW, Bella was off at an appointment with the ASPCA to volunteer for "Kitten Adoption Day," leaving a mopey Edward with me. We were just about to open a couple three paint cans and re-enact some famous battle scene with them, a couple of mops and trash can lids, when Edward all of a sudden stopped and picked up a box.

"What do you suppose this is? It says 'Forks Senior Center' in Esme's handwriting," He asked me and then bent down to look at the other two boxes marked the same.

"Oh! Those are the magazines Esme wanted me to take over to the Senior Center, like 6 months ago," I laughed, opening up a can of red paint and picturing it dripping down Edward's pretty boy face. I was about to dip my mop in it when he spoke, interrupting my train of thought.

"How about we deliver them over there now. Perhaps this will in some small way fulfill our obligation to Carlisle?" Good idea Eddie, I thought, and he glared at me in response.

Rose walked into the area just then, stripping off her coveralls to reveal an outfit that made me want to throw her up against the nearest car and...

"Emmett! Focus!" Edward slapped me. I would get him back for that later. So I recruited Rose to come with us by hoisting her over my shoulder, fireman style, which placed her lovely, firm hiney right next to my face, which, of course, I bit. All the while kicking and screaming at me, I ran with her to Edward's car and tossed her into the back seat. I tossed myself on top of her and started nibbling to her delight. She was flailing around trying to get me off but was too occupied with laughing hysterically and grinding her hips up on me to put any real effort into it. My Rose, what a woman.

Suddenly, I found myself flying backwards-Edward had reached in and grabbed me by the back of my neck, jerked me off of Rose and threw me backwards into the stone masonry of the garage wall.

"NOT in _MY CAR_ !!! He growled furiously, but then broke into a laughing fit. I stood away from the wall I had landed against and Rose joined Edward laughing. Behind me in the wall was an Emmett shaped dent.

We all piled back into the Volvo and headed off towards town, at a slow human speed.

"What time is Bella going to be done with the cat thing? I need a good laugh, she's funny."

"Around 4, she will be joining us back at the house for Carlisle's meeting."

"Hey Rose...remember that time when Jasper dared me to drink a cat?" Man, what a day that was.

"Oh God yes, Emmett!" Rose squealed in disgust, " That was so GROSS! GEEZ!! I still can't believe you did that. I didn't let you kiss me for a week."

"Yeah well, I won the bet didn't I ?"

"Just what was the bet, Emmett?" Edward was staring at me curiously in the rear view mirror.

"Well the losers, that being Jasper and Alice, got an emo makeover by Rosalie. Then they had to go to Go-Go's in Seattle on open mic night and recite bad poetry." Rose and I cackled remembering that night and the utter humiliation on Jasper's face as he straight-faced recited "Ode to a Weeping Willow" while Alice snapped her fingers and played the bongos. "Here, I took pictures," I handed my cell to him. He cracked up.

We arrived at Forks Senior Center then and piled out. Edward unlatched the trunk and we all carried a box in. The place was quiet. Too quiet. Twenty or so elderly ladies and gentlemen were sitting around this big room filled with tables and chairs. Some were just staring out of the windows, some playing cards or knitting. But they just seemed bored silly. They didn't even look up when we came in the room.

An attendant, some 30-something human in thick glasses and colorful scrubs came up to us with a big smile and his hand out saying "You must be Esme's kids," He shook our hands and gestured to a table towards the middle of the room. "Follow me, I'll show you where to put the magazines."

The table had some ancient worn out copies of Reader's Digest and Geriatric Monthly. The attendant went to the office to do some work and left us to spread the magazines. Rose laughed as she displayed the contents of her box.

"What the---??" I shrieked like a girl! "MY _PLAYBOYS_ ?? DEERHUNTER _WEEKLY_??" Esme had donated my collection that I had in that secret place under my bed!

My Rose cackled at me. She never did understand the finer qualities of a good nudie magazine.

Irked now, I opened the box in front of me-"HAH!" I squealed at Rose who stopped laughing.

"My COSMOS?? CAR AND DRIVER ??" Now it was my turn to cackle, which will probably not help me get to see her naked tonight.

"Uh oh..." I heard Edward say under his breath as he opened his box.

"Well?" Rose and I said in unison.

Edward let out a long slow sigh, ya know, like he does and he says..."My Rolling Stones 1995-2001 and Jasper's Wired. Alice's Elle. Carlisle's Yankee Magazines. Esme must have cleaned us _all_ out."

But before we could whine any further, a crowd had formed around us as one by one the new magazines were being snatched up by the now happy residents. They began talking to each other excitedly about music, cars, orgasms and boobs. Laughter and smiles broke out and darn it, we had to smile ourselves. That's when I saw it. In the corner across from us in the hall was an upright piano.

"Hey Ed," I nudged him in the ribs and pointed to it, "Come on little brother, let's give them a real present."

Edward smiled and nodded. Walking over to the piano, he sat down on the bench and opened the lid over the keys. He slid his fingers up and down the keys touching each one lightly and nodded in surprised delight,"it's in tune!"

He began to play "Strangers in the Night," a song made popular by Frank Sinatra in the 50's, I think. I took the cue and started to move all of the tables and chairs from the middle of the hall back against the walls, leaving a wide space. I turned to Rose who was still standing by the table looking at me with a dreamy smile. Oh, my beautiful Rose. She had on a very tight black cashmere off the shoulder sweater with little while beads scattered here and there. Her black washed jeans hugged her sexy curves just right and those silver high heeled peep toes that I love because they show each and every pink painted toenail. Sometimes, if I've been very, very good, she'll walk around the house in nothing but those heels and a tiny little white lace thong.

"Emmett! _Please_! That was Edward pulling me out of my fantasy with a low whine. I walked over to my Rose, staring into her bewitching golden eyes and held out my hand, beckoning to her. "Rose...may I have this dance?"

She smiled beautifully and put her little hand into my huge mitt and I twirled her once, twice, three times, her long, soft, blond angel's hair flowing around her like a cloud. I heard several gasps of delight from the good ladies and gentlemen as I led her to the makeshift dance floor I had just prepared. We never took our eyes off of each other as we moved in perfect synchronization. As I held her close to me, I whispered into her ear:

"Rose, do you still love me? After all of these years, am I still in your heart? Am I still the only man for you?"

"Oh, Emmett," she looked me in the eye, sighing, her sweet breath sweeping across my face. "Not one day...there hasn't been one hour, one minute, one second that I regretted taking you for my own. I will always hold you in my heart as tightly as I'm holding you in my arms now."

"Oh Rose, " I cried. She leaned in and kissed me softly, tenderly on my lips. The room exploded in applause and the song came to an end.

The good ladies and gentlemen of the Forks Senior Center paired off and began moving around the room as Edward played the music from the era of their youth. Laughing and dancing with somber joy, they twirled around the dance floor and sang songs around the piano until it was time for Edward to leave and meet Bella at home.

**Love Quote of the day**:

"Come live with me, and be my love,

And we will some new pleasures prove,

Of golden sands, and crystal brooks,

With silken lines, and silver hooks."

-John Donne

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed this little chapter...Up next-**

**Bella and Edward find their humanity showing.**


	3. Chapter 3:For the Love of Bella EC POV

**I LOVE MY FAMILY**

**a/n: Okay lovely Twilighters, here we have a chapter from Edwards's (twisted) point of view. This one was fun to write...enjoy!**

**Chapter Three: For the Love of Bella**

**Edward's POV**

I waited and I waited. And I paced while I waited. I sat down on the couch next to Emmett who was leaning this way and that like he was actually driving the car in the game he was playing, and waited. I went up to my room and tried to listen to my new Three Days Grace CD Bella bought me last night, but ended up talking to myself in the complete frustration of waiting for my Love to arrive. Petulant that's what she is...and oooo...I would make her pay...oh yes. I wrung my hands maniacally as I pictured her punishment: I will kiss those beautiful, full, pouty lips of hers until she can't breathe and then I'll let my hand just lightly brush against her hot...aHA! I hear that wretched hunk of rusting nuts and bolts coming up the drive. Flying down the stairs not even touching the steps, I was holding open her car door before she even could see me coming. Ha! I startled her...oh...the blush on her cheeks...oh I want to...I want to just...I could let my hand innocently touch her...

"EDWARD! YOU SCARED THE HOLY CRAP OUT OF ME!" She screamed at me. Well, I guess I deserved that. Dammit what's wrong with me? All I can think of is copping a feel. Get a grip Edward, she's going to be yours soon enough. One hundred years of waiting-give or take a year or two-of chaste living...I certainly could wait another couple of months to taste her hot, sweet...

"Earth to Edward!" Dammit! She was looking at me like I had completely gone mental.

"Sorry, Love, I missed you..." Want you, crave you, desire you...want to feel your supple breasts beneath my...sigh..."Let's go inside, shall we?"

I helped her out of her truck and followed behind her...her lovely behind...oh my goodness but she has quite a sway to her hips...oh that's IT! TOO _SLOW _!! I grabbed her up in my arms and flew with her up the stairs and placed her as gently as I could manage on the bed. Hey! She only bounced three times!

I paced a bit once we were in the room trying to think of something innocuous and completely not round and soft and having a hard point...Dammit! "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree..." I started to murmur to myself...trees, long, hard...ARG!

"Edward-" My angel's sultry voice whispered into the space between us, "I need to tell you what happened to me today...I met someone that might help us, you know, achieve Carlisle's wish that we make a difference in someone's life...wait, are you reciting Joyce Kilmer?" Bella had a curious look on her face...I cannot imagine why: Her fiancée cannot seem to get her breasts out of his mind and has resorted to reciting benign poetry to keep him from pouncing on her and ripping her shirt off and putting my lips...focus Masen, dammit!

"So, love, you had an interesting experience today? Please tell me, I'm listening." I sat down beside my beautiful Bella and tried very hard _not_ to look down her shirt. Why do I have to be the perfect height ??

I watched in rapt fascination as my angel regaled me the details of her day. How beautiful her eyes are...so filled with emotion and fire. She is an enchantress. I cannot imagine what she will do to me when she is changed into an immortal...when she uses those eyes to dazzle _me_, I will be her slave...I will have no choice and I will go willingly, gratefully to her.

I was lost in stunned silence as the outrage, sadness, empathy and joy she felt in the story she had been conveying to me for the past twenty minutes traveled all over her face. Her face. Helen of Troy holds nothing compared to my Bella. I wanted to take her face between my hands and kiss those lips, let my tongue play along her sweet lips...mmmmm...I could write a symphony to those lips. What was she saying? Something about cats...oh yes...she's probably talking about the kitten thing at the animal thing...I realized just then I hadn't heard a word she said...I was focused on her lovely br...she was getting really animated at this point, her soft, delicate hands are gesturing wildly and...oh my...her...her breasts, I can see them jiggling a bit under her tight blue sweater...oh my _God_!

"Edward?" She had stopped talking several seconds ago and was staring at me staring.

"...hmmmmm?" I answered absentmindedly. I glanced up at that point from the place my eyes had settled on into her deep eyes that were wide with surprise. Oops. Busted. She had a tiny frown crinkle on her forehead, her mouth was hanging open and she was staring at me incredulously:

"Edward!! You were staring at my breasts weren't you ? You didn't hear a word I said-you were just gawking at my boobs!"

"What? No...I...I..."

Uh oh, an almost evil smile crept across her face...was she...was she growling ? What was she up to? Before I could finish the thought she knelt in a crouch on the bed and launched herself at me. She slammed her body into mine, her lips onto mine and I responded by falling back on the bed, letting her have her way with my lips, my jaw, my throat. Oh this is TORTURE-I _like_ it! I rolled us over gently, clasping her hands in mine above her head and then it was my turn. I inhaled her scent deeply as I gently placed kisses from one lovely ear lobe down one side of her throat, trailing my tongue along her carotid artery to her collarbone and up the other side of her throat and ever so gently took her other earlobe between my lips and tongued it gently. I laid my full body on top of hers, hitching her legs over my hips and lightly, gently pressed. She gasped and her breath swirled into my face, making me forget my own name.

"Bella," I moaned...more like whimpered, I am such a tool! As I felt her body respond to mine, I had to hold myself off of her and escape to the other side of the room, leaving her breathless and me banging my head against the wall. I had to face away from her for a couple of minutes while I fought to gain control over my manliness, saying calming things like football scores and picturing the vile Mike Newton in gym. Ugh. It worked.

Emmett cleared his throat outside the room..."Hey you guys-put your clothes back on and come downstairs. The meeting's gonna begin soon." His laughter faded as he walked down the stairs to join the others. Bella, blushing away, was smiling at me from the bed and held out her left hand for mine. I took her hand in my hand, kissed the finger that held the sparkling symbol of our destiny and lead her down the stairs into the dining room.

Love Quote::

"After all these years I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning;

it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her."

Mark Twain

**a/n: Next: Alice and Jasper duke it out at the library! Hope you are enjoying the story...let me know!**

**Love and lemondrops**

**BSL  
**


	4. Chapter 4:A Soldier's StoryWith Makeup

**I LOVE MY FAMILY**

**Chapter 4: Alice and Jazz: A Soldier's Story...With Make-Up**

After welcoming Esme home...well, it was more of a short "Hi Mother," before Carlisle whisked her upstairs, clothes being ripped and bitten away as he ran..Alice and Jasper bid a hasty retreat out of the mansion and ran out back towards the garage hand in hand. In silence, Alice perched herself on the hood of her Porsche, barefooted, knees bent and leaning against the windshield. Jasper was puttering around looking for stuff on a nearby shelf. He found what he was looking for. A can of Turtle Wax car polish, a bottle of French leather cleaner and a couple of clean chamois polishing rags that Emmett had fashioned out of leftovers from a hunt last month. Having been raised to hunt and skin animals for food and clothing, came in handy.

Jasper arranged the items methodically on a nearby bench in the order that he would use them. Grabbing the hem of his red Polo shirt, he lifted it over his head, folded it neatly and put it on the bench. Alice was deep in thought, but not so deep that she did not catch her husband's movements in her peripheral vision. Pretending not to watch, she let her gaze wander over his broad shoulders, muscled arms, his prefect 8 pack that was just teasing her to touch him. Jasper rubbed a cloth over the paste and began to apply it in a circular motion over the fenders and down the door towards the back. Alice got out her compact, opened it and watched the reflected action discreetly in the mirror. Her breathing became ragged. The muscles in his arms, his chest, across his back, oh yes, his thighs and rear were tensing and relaxing, tensing and relaxing as he moved around the back and up the other side towards the hood again.

"Darlin'..." He interrupted her reverie, quickly shutting the compact. Even after all these years together, the sound of his voice calling her with his warm, deep tones and ever so subtle touch of his natural Southern accent, tingled her in the pit of her stomach and sent electric jolts of love and lust throughout her body. "I need you to move your hindquarters so I can do the hood." He looked up and got caught in the depths of her eyes.

"Alice..." He whispered, almost inaudibly. His eyes were wide, but glistening and filled with passion.

"Yes, Jazz?"

"You...you take my breath away."

"Oh, Jasper!" He leaned into her, catching her lips with his. She threw her arms and legs around him as he lifted her off the hood. Alice grabbed two handfuls of his shoulder length golden hair. Her body started moving against his in response to the kiss.

"No, no, no...I've...got to... finish the car...Alice...honey..." She was kissing his neck now and his resolve was dissolving quickly. He leaned her against the hood of Rosalie's BMW and began to remove Alice's shirt, revealing a red lace bra. Jasper pressed himself against her and that's when it happened-

**BEEP BEEP BEEP...HONK HONK HONK...EEEE EEEE EEEE...WOO WOO WOO**

...Rosalie's car alarm shrieked annoyingly and the head and tail lights flashed. Rosalie was there in the blink of an eye. Jasper and Alice had already dressed and straightened up and were resuming their attention to the Porsche. Rosalie clicked her key alarm, folded her arms across her chest and glared at the two of them suspiciously who were acting casual and non-nonchalant.

"I don't know how that happened..." Alice feigned innocence.

"Uh huh..." Rose wasn't buying it. She walked over to the hood of her car to inspect it closely..."Then would you mind telling me what _this_ is !?!" She said angrily now.

"Um..." There were a very manly set of Turtle Wax fingerprints and right below that a dainty pair of white waxy footprints, "Gee how did that get there?" Alice was cracking up, but Jasper was watching Rose's face. The look was pure evil.

"RETREAT!" Jasper shouted and took off out of the garage at lightening speed, grabbing his shirt as he passed it.

"GAH !" Alice screamed and followed him out, with Rose close behind.

Rose stopped chasing them as soon as they cleared the forest and were now heading at a human pace towards downtown Forks. She turned around, after cussing at them in a very unladylike manner and headed back to the garage.

"We are going to pay for that when we get home, you know," Jasper chuckled.

"No doubt--" Something had caught Alice's eye amongst the shops. She took Jasper's hand and towed him towards the library.

"Look at this Jazz.." She motioned to the handwritten sign:

"**Forks Summer Reading Program Presents: **

**Miss Harriet Tubman and Other Stories from the Civil War.**

**Story hour begins at 1p today in the Children's Section." **

"Let's go in.." Alice enthusiastically smiled up at her husband, knowing his affinity for Southern history. He looked down at his wife with affection and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He opened the door for her and in they went.

They had about 30 minutes until story hour began, so they walked around the library a bit. It was getting crowded and some of the children were getting restless as they waited. Alice sat at a large rectangular, wooden table with about a dozen and a half wooden chairs around it. Kids, ranging in ages of 6 to 14 were sitting at it reading, talking in hushed whispers or trying not to fall asleep as they waited for the story lady to begin. Alice dumped her purse contents out before her on the table looking for some lip gloss. Out tumbled tubes of liquid eyeliner in silver, black and purple; eye shadow wands in every color and several lip gloss pans in rainbow shades.

A curious little 6 year old girl with big blue eyes and light brown curly hair wearing a bright yellow Sponge Bob hoodie sat across from her, eyes wide. Alice looked up and the little girl smiled.

"Can you paint a flower on my face?" She said in a quiet voice.

Alice smiled and said "Sure! Go ask your Mommy first, okay?" In about 15 seconds, she returned, towing her mom behind her.

"Oh! You're Dr. Cullen's daughter, Alice, right?" A large woman with beautiful long auburn hair in nurses' scrubs hovered over her, smiling widely.

"Yes. You're Nurse Stoker, am I correct? I remember work with Car--my dad," Gotta love a small town.

"This is my youngest, Annie," Nurse Stoker motioned to the little one in front of Alice, "She says you want to paint a flower on her face?" Alice nodded happily. "Well, that is just so lovely of you! I brought my other children, Samantha and Andrew and their friends and you'll recognize some of the neighborhood kids around here somewhere."

"Oh great! Can I paint them all?" Alice's eyes lit up and she happily started bouncing up and down on her chair. Nurse Stoker nodded and walked off towards the Adult Section.

"Hey kids!" Alice called quietly, "Who wants to get their face painted?"

Every kid enthusiastically raised their hand and whispered loudly...Me! Me! I do! By the time Alice had painted her last cheek with a lady bug, the crowd had grown to 35 and it was story time.

For the next 10 minutes, the Story Lady, dressed in a white starched bonnet with ribbons on her upswept hair, read passages from a book and invited discussion questions about the Civil War and slavery issues. Jasper sat next to Alice in quiet amusement as the woman talked about things that he had witnessed first hand. When she was just about finished, she opened up the floor and asked anyone if they knew any Civil War Stories they wished to share. Alice poked Jasper lovingly in the ribs and he raised his hand.

Long, lean, very blond and beautiful Jasper Whitlock Cullen stood up and asked if it would be alright with everybody if he told a tale about his great, great, great Grandfather Jasper Whitlock the First. Story Lady blushed and gladly yielded the floor to the man with the penetrating eyes.

"My great, great, great Grandfather Jasper Whitlock the 1st owned a small, but successful lumber mill in Georgia at the start of the Great War. He was an unusual man, as he did not support slavery, but took on hired men and women and paid them a decent wage for a days work. His wife Mary, had passed on in childbirth 15 years earlier leaving him to raise their only son, Jasper the 2nd. "

Alice squeezed his hand tightly, giving him courage to continue, for she knew this was the story of his father, his mother and himself.

Jasper took a breath and continued. Every eye was on him and while he generally shied away from being the center of attention, he was filled with pride about his heritage and felt this was a small way to ease the pain he felt at having never returned home to his father. Of course, he had no choice after he met Maria and her coven, but that did not exempt him of the remorse he felt at his father bearing the sadness of his son's death alone.

"His only son was called up to go to war shortly after his 17th birthday. He was a studious young man and rose in the ranks to become the youngest Major in history up to that point. During a particularly brutal campaign, he became separated from his men. Injured, starving and pretty smelly, he stumbled upon a ravaged farmhouse that was still occupied by a young widow and her 3 children. Starving themselves, without having had any real meat besides what they could catch in the barn, they took in Major Whitlock and nursed him back to health, with what little they could spare.

"A week later, when word had come that his regiment was camped just a short 5 mile hike from there, he left to re-join his men,. The next morning after he bid farewell to the small desolate family, the eternally grateful Major Whitlock returned with his second in command and brought marvelous gifts for them. A freshly killed deer, a couple of rabbits, a bushel of potatoes, carrots and onions, a sack of flour, some lard, blankets and some weaponry to defend themselves should they find themselves in trouble. The widow threw herself at the men's feet sobbing, wailin' and thanking her Maker for our souls.

"The little family made it through the war. The oldest son, who was just a boy at the time, grew up and became a very famous Senator. The middle girl later led a successful suffragette movement up North. The youngest, who was not yet born at the time, was the pearl of the story. In her teens, like the great Harriet Tubman, she became an integral part of the Underground Railroad who continued to successfully move people up North in secret long after the Great Cause was over."

Stunned silence. Mouths open. "What happened to Major Whitlock?" a young girl in the back of the room, about the age of 15, asked.

Jasper looked down at his Alice, who stared up at him in adoration. "He never returned home. A casualty of the war."

Gasps and 'oh's!' all around. Then applause-loud and long. The librarian stood up then, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Thank you so much for coming today, Mr. Cullen, and sharing your story with the group. Fascinating. Truly fascinating."

Alice, beaming proudly and Jasper, satisfied, walked hand in hand out of the library and headed home for the family meeting.

**Love Quote: **

"He felt now that he was not simply close to her,

but that he did not know where he ended and she began."

-Leo Tolstoy

**a/n: Thank you all for your lovely reviews and adds! Next is the Cullen Family meeting where Bella gets to spill about Kitten Day at the ASPCA. Or did she get sidetracked on the way? And what about Edward? Can he control his urge to grope her grapefruits? Mwahaha! **

**Side Note: I have really been enjoying reviving this story. It's reminding me why I loved this story in the first place. Hope you're enjoying it too! Please take a moment and say hi!**

**Love and lemondrops**

**BSL**


	5. Chapter 5:Bella,MsMurphy & the Cat Food

**I Love My Family**

**Chapter Five: Bella, Mrs. Murphy and the Cat Food**

**Bella's POV**

Everyone was meeting down in the dining room, so when I could get Edward to finally focus on something other than my boobs, we headed on down the stairs. Not that I minded really-after all he is still a teenage boy in this department, and every bit a newcomer as I am to the pleasurable ways of life. It's just a bit shocking to think that my brilliant, gorgeous, self-controlled-like-he-invented-the-concept, vampire fiancée was ga-ga over my goodies! I felt a surge of power as I realized I had a couple of weapons at my disposal that would not only serve to tease him mercilessly, but that perhaps I could use to my advantage. I would have to think about that later, right now I had a meeting to attend to.

We were the last to arrive thanks to my slow human speed. Emmett looked at me with a big goofy grin. Jasper's eyes were wide and I could guess he was feeling us because he was feeling Alice under the table, who was trying to keep a straight face, although unsuccessfully. Oh boy, this was going to be a long night. Carlisle was mesmerized watching Esme run her tongue over her full lips and I swear I saw him drool a bit. Edward held my chair out for me, ever the gentleman, but when he pushed me in, he stood over me unmoving. After a couple of seconds I looked up to see Edward was above me looking down my shirt. I smiled at him and waved. Embarrassed, he sat down next to me. Ha ha! Busted again! Ooooo there's magic in the mammaries!

Carlisle broke his gaze at that point and looked at the lust filled vampires sitting around the table and shook his head, smiling.

"Jasper, do you mind?" He said gesturing to the couples sitting around who had succumbed to the lust that was rolling off him in waves.

"Oh!" Jasper jumped up, untangled his hand from Alice's clothing and coughed. "Sorry about that y'all, but it's Edward's fault, he's way too sexually unfulfilled. He's making it entirely impossible for me to control myself."

"_What????"_ Edward stood up quickly to protest, pulling at his hair and screaming.

"That's right, little brother," Emmett chimed in.

"This is so unfair! How am I to think of nothing else with you over sexed, over stimulated can't-keep-a-decent-thought-in-your-head-if-it-killed-you vampires!! Try living with that! I object!"

"Objection overruled !" Esme stood up laughing, "You know, the sooner you two consummate your relationship, the better it will be for all of us!"

"_What_???" I stood up shouting incredulously. Now we were all standing up yelling at each other and cracking up. Nope, this isn't a conversation you'd find sitting around the table with Charlie or Renee, not never, not no how-I thought, quoting the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz. I was bent over laughing, trying to gasp for air at the way everybody was blaming everybody else for making us all frisky. Emmett was roaring, Alice was on the floor on her back screeching in laughter, Esme had her head down and was pounding the top of the table, laughing hysterically. Rosalie was trying so hard not to laugh, but couldn't resist the contagiousness of it all and gave in in a loud burst that sprayed everyone at the table. I thought I would pee my pants right there!

Carlisle just smiled, staring lovingly at his lunatic family. When we all had calmed down, finally, Carlisle coughed and called the meeting to order.

Emmett told the story of the Forks Senior Center where he, Rosalie and Edward entertained the residents and how they had inspired them to get up and enjoy themselves. They had forgotten that they were put out by Esme's donating their magazines because of the pleasure they seemed to bring to the otherwise uneventful day. Rosalie said they had so much fun that they were invited to come back and had agreed on future dates to return. I gave a squeeze to Edward's hand and looked up at him. Could I love him even more?

Jasper stood next and told us of the afternoon they spent at the Children's Library and the way the children's eyes lit up while Alice was lovingly applying the paintings to their little cheeks. She got lots of hugs that day and said she volunteered for the Kids Festival in the Park they hold every year. Jasper was asked to speak at a special symposium being held by the Community College's History Professor whose little boy just happened to be at the library sporting a bumble bee on his left cheek. Jasper reached down, taking Alice's hand in his and kissed it gently.

All eyes were on me as I stood to tell them about my day.

"As you know, I had volunteered for the Forks ASPCA's bi-monthly Kitten Adoption Day. I left my house early, seeing as the weather was nasty out and I didn't know if the driving conditions would be bad. I was waiting for the light to turn at the corner of 1st and Main when I saw this elderly looking woman bundled up in a gray wool coat, knit cap and scarf, rain boots and dragging behind her an old rusty wagon with 2 bags of groceries from the Dollar Tree in it. The weather this morning was horrible-it couldn't have been more than 32 degrees out and frozen raindrops of sleet and slush were pelting her, soaking her skin and turning her nose and earlobes bright red with the cold. But there she was, trudging along bravely against the wind and ick. Without further hesitation, I pulled a u-ee in the middle of the street and pulled up slightly ahead of her and jumped out of my truck.

"Ma'am? Can I please give you a ride?" The old woman looked up from her stooped over position. We studied each other's faces for a long minute. Her eyes were gray and a bit cloudy. She smiled as she recognized me.

"Why! You're Chief Swan's daughter Bella, aren't you dear?"

"Yes, " I said, leading her back towards the truck, "Let's get you inside, I've got the heater on." I helped her into the cab and hoisted the wagon into the truck bed. One of the plastic bags broke, it's contents spilling out. I picked up the dozen cat food cans and put them in the other bag, which was also filled with more cat food cans.

"Hm.." I thought to myself, "She must really love her cats to come out in this weather."

"I hopped in, put it in gear and started driving. The old woman talked the whole way to her house. Her name is Mrs. Betty Murphy, 75 years young as she put it, and has lived in Forks for the past 45 years in the same house. Originally from Ireland, she met and married Dr. Murphy, an American with family in Seattle, when he was a resident and she was a nurse at the same teaching hospital in London. She spoke of him lovingly, with his sandy blond hair, crystal clear blue eyes and Errol Flynn-like beauty.

"Oh, he was a handsome movie actor of my day. The young Rob Pattinson of my generation you could say." She had a gentle laugh with a touch of Irish brogue.

"We reached the very edge of town where it's mostly forest and there was her little white house with the big front porch nestled in the trees a bit off the road. It was a good 15 miles outside of town; I couldn't believe she walked this whole way for cat food. Especially in this weather, let alone on a good day. I helped Mrs. Murphy out of the truck, got her groceries and wagon and followed her inside. The first thing Mrs. Murphy did was go over to the fireplace and start poking at the embers until they flared up in flames, then threw a couple of logs on the blaze. I went into the kitchen and placed the 2 dozen cat food cans on the counter. The house was small., just the kitchen, living room and bedroom /bathroom and a shed out back. There was a worn couch by the fire draped with quilts and pillows on it and a pair of slippers and bath robe folded neatly on the arm.

"I looked around casually for the cats. I figured they hid when they heard unfamiliar footsteps. I opened the kitchen cabinet nearest to me to put the cans in and it was empty. I opened up the others quietly and peeked in. They were all empty. The only thing was under the sink. A small garbage can was filled with empty cat food cans.

"I realized to my absolute horror that this lovely old woman was so poor, she was living on cat food and little else. I looked around the kitchen and it was empty and worn out. Tattered, shabby dish towels made out of old shirts. A small table that wobbled with an old phone book propping up one of the legs. A tea kettle was on the stove. But that was about it. I had to get out of there before I started crying. I kept a calm look on my face as I bid her good bye. I asked if I could come back and visit with her soon. She said yes enthusiastically and thanked me for the ride by giving me a hug by the door.

"I barely made it to the truck before I broke down." Edward squeezed my hand tightly as I choked up. Needless to say, I headed straight to the ThriftWay and started loading up a cart to bring to Mrs. Murphy. Charlie would just have to understand that I needed to borrow the food money. I tried to fill the cart carefully. I didn't want to overwhelm her and embarrass her by acknowledging the sad state I found her in. So I picked out simple things like tea, milk, sugar, some shortbread cookies, two loaves of fresh French bread, and a bunch of lunch meats and cheeses from the deli. I also picked up some pickles, mustard and mayonnaise, chips, soda crackers, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados. I threw in some necessary paper products and loaded it all in the cab. I was afraid I might have gone overboard and had to formulate a story to cover up the obvious attempt to feed her.

"Mrs. Murphy heard the roar of my truck and came out on the porch to greet me.

"Bella, what's all this then?" She demanded, a scowl on her wrinkled face.

I spoke quickly, "I wanted to invite myself over for lunch, but didn't know you what you were having, so I stopped by the store and picked up a couple of things that I liked and maybe we could make us both some sandwiches?" I tried my best to sound sincere. Even though she probably didn't buy my story, she smiled, nodded her head and invited me in.

"We worked side by side cutting and spreading until we had fashioned two magnificent subs. We sat down in front of the fire with our lunch and dug in. She told me wonderful, magical stories of her family in Ireland. As we took our tea and cookies in front of the fire, she fascinated me with stories of Dr. Murphy and how scary it was coming to America. She has no family here in Washington anymore, she survived them all. She never had kids. She's all alone."

A tear slid down my cheek. I dropped my head and blushed furiously. Edward pulled me out of my chair and hugged me to him. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Alice all gathered around me in a group hug. I peeked to see Rosalie holding Jasper's head to her chest and patting his hair, saying, "It's okay, Boo, it's okay." His eyes were closed and he had a pained expression on his face.

Quote of the Chapter: "

"'There is no use trying,' said Alice, 'One can't believe impossible things.'

'I dare say you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen,

'when I was your age, I did it for half an hour a day.

Why sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.' "

**a/n Hello lovely Twilighters! Next chapter the Cullens run into a bit of a crisis. **

**I love this story about Mrs. Murphy. Sometimes, people are alone and lonely and need help, **

**but don't know how to ask for it. It could be a neighbor, **

**or a relative that you've been meaning to ask about. **

**We all need help at one time or another. **

**Hope is a miraculous thing. **

**Be someone's miracle.**

**If you are enjoying the story, please feel free to let me know.**

**BSL**


	6. Chapter 6: Forks 911 Cullen Style

**I LOVE MY FAMILY**

**Chapter Seven: Forks 911, Cullen Style**

**The story continues in Bella's POV**

The next morning, I brought Edward with me to visit Mrs. Murphy. In the gloomy gray that is Forks on a normal every day, her little white house looked absolutely funereal. The grass was dead, the trees were unkempt with dead wood hanging off and in need of a good pruning. The once white picket fence that surrounded her little acre and a half was in serious disrepair. For all intents and purposes, it looked sad, lonely, abandoned. Just like the owner inside, I thought to myself with tears in my heart. The veil of hopelessness that hung low over the little house was thick and could easily seduce a visitor to succumb to it's bleakness. I shuddered from the inside out as we walked hand in hand up the overgrown pathway that was choked with dead weeds. Edward put his arm around me and held me close, no doubt sensing my effort to keep a cheery thought in my mind.

After knocking on the door several times and getting no response, I looked up at Edward who was staring off with an intense look of concentration on his face, no doubt using his heightened Vampire senses to check out the situation.

"I am afraid that something is amiss," he said softy, squeezing my hand.

My eyes went wide as I gripped Edward's arm so tightly, I almost broke a couple of fingers.

"However," He added quickly, "I detect no foul play."

I swallowed hard. "Do you--hear anything?"

"Yes." He said quietly. "She's quietly moaning."

"Do you hear anything, you know, in her mind?"

He nodded. "Her thoughts don't make sense, perhaps delusional ramblings?"

"Edward!" He saw that I was starting to panic, so working quickly, he had the door open before I could finish the thought.

"Mrs. Murphy?...it's me, Bella. Are you home? I brought Edward with me," I called out as cheerily as I could muster, sticking my head through the door. I slowly entered the freezing living room and looked around. The fireplace was cold, like she hadn't had a fire going for hours. The blankets and pillows were thrown off the couch. I made my way towards the bedroom. It was so dark from the electricity being turned off and the gloom penetrated from the outside. Passing the kitchen, I could hear the faint sound of an almost empty tea kettle whistling, so I went to the stove, removed it, turned the gas flame off. She must have put it on before going to bed.

I held my breath as I watched my Edward, stalking about like a dangerous, sexy hit man from the movies, moved quietly all around the house, peaking around all corners stealthily, looking in closets, checking behind the tattered drapes in case of danger. When he was sure we were all alone in the house, he signaled me to slowly approach the closed bedroom door.

Opening up the door slowly, so as not to startle her, I walked over to her bedside but she was obviously totally out of it. Her eyes were closed tight and her head was slowly thrashing one way, then the other, mumbling with fever. I touched her forehead. Clammy and--

"Edward!" I whispered loudly, "She's burning up!" Her forehead was as hot as Jacob's.

Edward was busy in the living room bringing the fireplace to life with a roaring blaze using some of the knocked over trees from the back yard and some dry kindling that was in a box next to the fireplace. He looked up at the concern in my face quickly, then, turning away from me, he whipped out his phone and after a short conversation looked up at me and said, "Carlisle is on his way, Esme too. She's stopping at the ThriftWay to buy ingredients for chicken soup and will be here shortly. Emmett and Jasper insisted on coming, which is excellent; I noticed a rather large rotting spot on the roof and it will have to be repaired before we get a really good snow. The ceiling is already showing signs of dampness. She's out of firewood, too. So that will have to be gathered immediately. Alice and Rose will be here as soon as they can. They are at the mall in Seattle." He looked down into my frightened eyes and whispered, "Don't worry, Love, we'll do the best we can for her."

I pulled a wooden chair from the kitchen and sat next to Mrs. Murphy's bed. Holding her hot, gnarled hand in mine, I spoke softly to her, telling her what was happening, and that she was going to be just fine. Isn't that what they tell you you're supposed to do? Be encouraging even when you're worried out of your mind and there seems to be little hope at all?

Edward brought a bowl filled with water and several clean, old flannel shirt cloths and put them on the nightstand. Dipping a cloth into the bowl, he squeezed it out and patted the cooled material all over her face, her neck and down her arms, dipping and squeezing several times. He laid a fresh, cool one on her forehead and continued to cool down the rest of her. He then opened the window nearest the bed just a crack to get some sweet air into the room.

I watched my Edward with rapt adoration as he ministered to Mrs. Murphy, concern all over his perfect face. Could it be possible to love him even more? My heart swelled. I looked down upon Mrs. Murphy and although I fought it, a tear escaped from the corner of my eye. She looked so fragile, even more so than yesterday.

After a short time, he looked behind him and even though to my stupid human ears heard nothing, he said, "Carlisle's here." Soon Carlisle was in the room with his doctor's bag opened on the other nightstand, withdrawing syringes, gauze pads, band-aids, sterile cups, and various bottles of medicine out. He stood over her, looked in the space above Mrs. Murphy's bed, cocked his head to the left and whispered, "Shhh."

"Heart rate is good, lungs are congested, blood pressure a little low, but stable enough. She has a fever but I don't dare move her at this point," He said to Edward. He then turned, winked a small grin at me.

I was staring at him with my eyes wide, mouth open, like a dork. Of all the times I've been poked and prodded at the doctors or the ER, I would have loved to have just had a cute doctor hover over me to read my vitals just once. Carlisle reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone when it vibrated with a text. He smiled to himself and then said to me, "Bella, Esme would like you to put a large pot of water on to boil. She'll be here soon and wants the water ready for the soup. Would you mind doing that please?"

Thinking he might be just trying to get me out of the room so he and Edward could confer further without scaring me, I thought about protesting for a moment, then looked at helpless Mrs. Murphy, sighed, and left for the kitchen. There was not much in there to work with, but I did manage to find a medium sized pot that was not too crusted over with mold or disuse. I washed it thoroughly a few times more than was probably necessary, then filled it with water.

I found the onions and red peppers left over from lunch yesterday, cut them up and put them in the pot on the stove. It was just beginning to boil when I heard the loud roar of Emmett's Jeep pulling up outside, alerting me that the boys were here. I went out onto the front porch to greet them just as a large Home Depot truck was pulling up on the street. Emmett walked over to me with a bag from "Goldman's Deli" and a large drink. Handing it to me he winked and said "Everything's going to be fine, you'll see." Leave it to Emmett to think of me and my human needs at a time like this.

Edward joined Jasper and Emmett unloading the truck. Wood of various thicknesses and lengths, shingles, roof paper, a variety of tools and, curiously, three large gas powered chainsaws. After a short consultation on the roof, the boys started hauling stuff up and getting to work fixing the roof. By the time they were finished, which took a total of 30 minutes, Mrs. Murphy had a brand new forest green colored roof, complete with a skylight over the kitchen sink. They moved so fast, working in perfect sync with each other, that they were no more than just a blur to my human eyes.

I called Charlie and told him where I was and about Mrs. Murphy. He and few of his station house buddies showed up during his lunch hour with a year's worth of fresh frozen fish from our garage deep freeze. Mrs. Murphy had a large, empty deep freeze unplugged in the shed out back. So they had to clean it out a bit first, but then stocked it full to the top. While they were there, Charlie and his pals also polished up her old washer and dryer pair, swept out the shed and replaced a couple of rotted floor boards.

On his way out, he stopped to talk to Alice who had arrived just as he was pulling out. By the puppy dog look on Charlie's face, it was obvious she was dazzling him, working her magic on Charlie to do Lord knows what and he was happily agreeing to whatever she wanted. Geez Dad, I laughed to myself.

In the meantime, Esme had shown up with about 50 bags and boxes from the ThriftWay and was filling up every cabinet in the pantry, the refrigerator and the even a second deep freeze in the garage, too. She put the soup on and soon delicious aromas began percolating throughout the house.

Alice and Rose started bringing in bag after bag out of the Porsche and into the house. Bags with expensive names on it. When Carlisle stepped out onto the front porch calling orders into the hospital and then the pharmacy, they took advantage of the opportunity to go into Mrs. Murphy's room dragging me with them and shut the door. Old Mrs. Murphy was still sleeping with the fever. Working as a team, Rose and Alice removed Mrs. Murphy's old tattered night gown and gave her a sponge bath at a speed so fast, if I blinked I would have missed it. When they had finally slowed down, I saw in utter amazement that they had completely changed her worn out nightclothes with beautiful soft new ones as well as a down mattress pad, new sheets, blankets, pillows, brushed her hair, braided it and tucked her in. I gasped! She looked like a queen all snuggled in her new red velvet down comforter. Alice hooked up the space heater she bought and the air started to get warm. Which was impossible.

"How...there's no electricity...how ?" I stuttered.

"Oh, I asked Charlie to go talk to the folks at the electric company. That along with a sizable tip to the pole man and voile! Let there be lights!" Alice and amazing go hand in hand.

A knock on the front door, brought me out through the living room. I passed Esme scrubbing the kitchen floor on her hands and knees. Wow. Carlisle was on his phone kind of watching her from behind with a goofy grin on his face. Alice came out and began dusting the living room, and fluffing the new curtains that matched the couch cover that Esme had fitted earlier. Where did that TV come from? I opened the front door and let Carlisle's nurse in.

I looked past Nurse Stoker, my jaw dropping in amazement. Stepping out onto the porch, I looked up into the tall trees in the front yard. Edward, Jasper and Emmett were 150 feet off the ground, barefoot and bare chested, hanging like monkeys in the trees, brandishing snarling chainsaws, cutting old, dried limbs off and tossing them to Rosalie who was below breaking the logs up into fireplace sized portions with her dainty feet. Alice came out and it became a vampire assembly line of sawing, stomping, throwing and stacking the logs.

A few moments later, Nurse Stoker passed me on her way out carrying an insulated bag with "Forks General Hospital" stamped on it along with a folder full of papers from Carlisle. We nodded politely to each other. She looked around for a few, but without a surprised look on her face as I'm sure I would have had had I just walked in on the flurry of activity going on. Curious indeed, I watched as she got in her yellow Chevy Maverick and drove away.

"Bella," Carlisle called from the bedroom. Holy crow, but his voice sounded grim. "Can I see you in here for a moment please?"

Edward was by my side in an instant.

Chapter quote:

"The risk it takes to remain tight inside the bud

Is more painful

Than the risk it takes to Blossom."

-Anais Nin

**A/N: Hope you are enjoying the story. **

**It's a little intense right now, but hang in there. **

**Nice to see Edward can focus on something else besides Bella's melons...hehe. **

**Great to see some old friends re-reading the story and reviewing! **

**Reviews are what we write for here, it's a fanfictors pay day-so don't be shy: **

**Press the blue button and say hi!**

**Until next time--**

**Love and lemondrops to ya!**

**BSL**


	7. Chapter 7:Out of the Ashes,Phoenix Rises

**I Love My Family**

**Chapter Eight: Out of the Ashes, Phoenix Rises**

**A/N: They say that for every door that is closed a window opens somewhere. This is something that our dear Bella is going to learn first hand. Enjoy.**

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge

Myth is more potent than history

Dreams are more powerful than facts

Hope always triumphs over experience

Laughter is the cure for grief

and that Love is stronger than Death"

-Robert Fulghum

I took a deep breath and walked into the bedroom slowly. Mrs. Murphy was laying on her side all cozy and tucked into the comforter. She looked like she was sleeping peacefully.

"I've sent my nurse back to the lab with some samples to see just what we're dealing with here," Carlisle was speaking calmly, "Her fever has stabilized but it is still hovering around 101.9. I gave her some meds so she's resting comfortably for now."

I caught the 'for now' and my breath caught. "What do you think it is, Carlisle?" I tried to keep my voice even.

"Well, her lungs are a bit congested, she has a fever and her skin is clammy. Good news is she has stopped her delusional mumbling. I am thinking she has the beginning symptoms of pneumonia. We will know as soon as we get the results of the tests. Bella," he put his hand on my shoulder, lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. His golden eyes were soft and comforting,"You just may have saved her life."

My eyes widened and the tears started to sting as his words sunk in. Edward stood behind me, put his arms around my waist and held me tightly. Leaning back against his chest, I wrapped my arms around his.

"I've ordered round the clock nursing care. My personal nurse has volunteered. She has been through quite a lot with me..." his voice trailed off as he looked out the window. I quickly caught the lifted eyebrow and curious look on Edward's face as he no doubt heard the finished thought. I would have to remember to ask about him that later.

Edward and I sat on the couch and talked for a while until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Carlisle had gone home as did the others long ago. Nurse Stoker arrived and settled in for her shift with Mrs. Murphy, bringing a couple of books and a lap top to keep her occupied while her patient slept.

I don't remember how I got there but I awoke the next morning in my bed with Edward's arms around me. I stretched out and felt a beautiful "Good Morning" swirl around on my neck. "Well, afternoon, actually." He corrected himself.

"After_noon?" _I sat straight up. It was then that I noticed it.

I was in my pajamas.

"Edward!" I whispered loudly in case we weren't alone. "Explain this _now_!"

He was chuckling. Chuckling. I would give him something to chuckle about. I balled my hands into fists.

"Just what is it that you are asking me to explain, Bella?" He was leaning up on one elbow and smirking at me.

I got up out of bed and gestured wildly at my attire. "This! How do you explain what I'm wearing??"

"Um, yes..." he put hand to chin, narrowed his eyes, studying me, "they are a rather inexpensive set of matching blue and yellow duckie flannel pj bottoms and tank top I would say, but on you...sexy." He was eying me up and down and then he stopped right below my chin. I looked down in horror to see my two nipples standing at attention quite plainly through the light blue cotton fabric. I could feel the heat rage across my face in utter embarrassment. Where the hell is my bra?

I did a quick turn and ran into my closet. I threw my very thick flannel shirt on and belted it across my chest.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU EDWARD CULLEN !" I yelled from inside the closet too embarrassed to come out.

I was sitting on the floor in the corner under some old hanging things when I saw him squatting down to look at me face to face.

"Alice." He said plainly with a cherubic look on his face.

"Go away Edward." I moaned out from underneath my hands.

"Alice changed you out of your clothes. Will you come out now please? Or shall I take up residence in there with you?" He extended his hand to me. "Charlie's on his way home. Why don't you get dressed so I can come by properly then we can go see Mrs. Murphy."

I grabbed his hand begrudgingly and let him help me out of the closet. He stood before me tenderly gazing into my furious eyes, occasionally reaching up and picking a dust bunny out of my hair. Alice. Stupid Vampires and their stupid Vampire speed.

"I'll be back in thirty minutes, okay?" He leaned down and place a gentle kiss on my lips before disappearing out the window. I heard his merry little giggle fade off into the trees.

Oooo you just wait, Edward Cullen, when _I'm_ a vampire you'll _never_ wear clothes again! HAH! Oh! I laughed to myself at the thought of an eternally naked Edward. Then, suddenly the more I thought about it, it wasn't so funny anymore. I took a cold shower.

As we pulled up to Mrs. Murphy's house I was struck by the improvements the Cullens had made to the little cottage in the one afternoon. Instead of the ramshackle wooden structure in desperate need of TLC, there stood a clean little cabin in the woods. A brand new dark green roof sat upon a much brighter looking place. Someone came by and pressure washed the whole outside, windows and siding revealing the white underneath. The brush and debris that had been accumulating for years all around had been removed. There was a lovely stone slab walkway leading up to the front porch which sported a fresh coat of forest green paint and new brass fittings on the front door. The trees were all trimmed thanks to the monkey boys and the stack of wood logs formed a great fence to the side on the property line. A new porch swing hung near the picture window. Every window had cheery flowery curtains hanging in them. Smoke poured out of the chimney giving the air that woodsy wintry smell. I sighed with great joy at the marvelous transformation. I leaned into Edward's side and he wrapped his arm around me, kissing the top of my head.

"Come on inside, there's a surprise waiting for you." He whispered to the top of my head.

He knocked lightly on the door then opened it up slowly. I looked up at Edward anxiously. His answering smile made my heart thump wildly which in turn made his smile widen.

"Go on, Love."

I entered the bedroom not knowing what to expect. What I saw shocked the bejeebers out of me. Mrs. Murphy, looking a whole bunch _not_ like death warmed over, was sitting up in bed getting fed chicken soup by Esme.

She looked up when she saw me and a big smile burst over her face.

"Bella!"

Mouth open with pleasant surprise, I walked over to her and hugged her. Tears started to slide down the corner of my eyes. When I pulled away, she too, had a tear rolling down her cheek. We smiled at each other and then burst into laughter.

"You look better!" I said, settling on the edge of the bed. Esme came back in with a bowl of soup, bread and a drink on a tray for me. There was a little flower in a tiny vase on the tray.

"I feel better. Thanks darlin' for takin' such good care of this old foolish woman."

"No, no," I started to protest, "It was Dr. Cullen and his family who did all of this," I gestured around the room with it's now bright and cheery appearance.

"Well, that may be, but if ya dint happen upon me that day...who knows?" She stared out the window. I bit my lip at the thought of what might have been.

Nurse Stoker came through the front door and started to take Mrs. Murphy's blood pressure and temperature so Edward and I excused ourselves to the other room. We stayed for another half an hour or so, until it was apparent that she was ready to get some rest. I bent down to kiss her on the cheek good-bye and she whispered if she could say a word to 'my young man.' I nodded yes.

Edward bent down to kiss her on the cheek and she reached over and took hold of his hand.

"Young lad," she began quietly just for him to hear and I let myself out of the room. I tried not to listen, to give them their privacy only stirring when I heard Edward speak-

"On my honor I promise you."

He came out of the room with a smile for me on his perfect face.

By the next morning, she was up and able to make it around the house unaided and by the morning after that she was singing happily in the kitchen, fixing some sort of Old World concoction that smelled like heaven. Nurse Stoker was released to go back to her normal duties.

Over the next few months, Edward and I dropped in on Mrs. Murphy from time to time. And every time we were there, a Cullen or two was there or had just left. Esme and Charlie continued to bring groceries by. The usually aloof Rosalie brought over a big, fat gray tabby cat to make better use of the cat food. Mrs. Murphy called him "Bear" because he reminded her of Emmett who liked to come over and do the man-type chores for her like shovel snow and take out the garbage. Alice, being Alice, came over every few days to do her hair and nails or take her into Port Angeles or Portland to go wardrobe shopping.

Jasper surprised me the most by coming by to visit every evening just to keep her company until she went to sleep. They would sit by the fire while he read to her and she would tell him stories of her childhood in Ireland. He took to calling her Grand Ma Ma which pleased her to no end.

Carlisle checked in on her when he had the chance. I was there on more than one occasion when he arrived. She would ask him some seemingly random medical question and as he went into these long, technical descriptions, sitting close to her and holding her hand, she would close her eyes, lay her head on his shoulder and smile peacefully. I asked him, one time after the first instance I witnessed this when I was at the mansion, why she seemed to get such enjoyment out of the details of whatever malady they were discussing.

"It's very simple, Bella. I remind her of her Mr. Murphy who, as you know, was a surgeon in London when they met. She likes to close her eyes and remember him when I'm talking to her. It doesn't really matter what I'm saying, it's the sound of my voice that soothes her, keeps his memory within reach."

More and more I was stunned by the Cullens and their beautiful giftings from their hearts. I knew from what they told me, that they were not all this unselfish and kind hearted before in their mortal existence. Just as surely as I knew that this must have come from their long years of immortality. Being a vampire may have taken their human-ness, but it greatly strengthened their humanity.

Mrs. Murphy passed during the next summer when the dogwoods bloomed and the scent of fragrant flowers filled the air.

Alice arranged the funeral, a quiet graveside service that the Cullens, Charlie and I attended. Afterwards, Charlie went home and I went back to the mansion with Edward. The mood at the house was melancholy, each couple locked in some sort of silent dance with each other, clinging onto one another. Alice and Jasper silently held hands and stared out the big picture window in the living room out into the forest. Emmett and Rosalie were sitting on the front steps, arms wrapped around each other in silence. Carlisle and Esme, hands together, fingers entwined, foreheads touching sat on the couch in silence.

Edward took my hand and kissed it, looking deeply into my eyes. I was afraid just then. Something stirred in the back of my mind. Humans die. _They _don't. This is why they don't get close to humans. It's too painful for them to go through this over and over again throughout the centuries. That's why they're clinging to each other-they are miserable with their loss and worst of all _I_ brought this on them. _I _brought this pain into their lives.

"Let's go for a walk?" Edward asked sweetly. He was studying my face anxiously watching the moisture fill my eyes.

No no no! I was screaming furiously inside my head. This way waaay too familiar. Is he going to tell me something I desperately don't want to hear? Not today! Not now! Has he finally realized the damage that loving me has caused his family? He took my face in his hands and smiled easily.

"Bella, let's go to our meadow. I want to be alone with you. Please?"

Lost in his eyes, ever unable to refuse him, I nodded and we walked out the front door. As we made our way around Rose and Emmett still sitting in their silent embrace, Rose actually smiled warmly at me.

"Have fun, kids," Emmett chuckled softly. Getting more curious as the minutes passed.

Edward looped me around and onto his back in one smooth motion and off we went flying through the trees. He was thoughtful as he ran. I pressed myself even tighter to him.

The clearing was glorious of course, filled knee deep with wildflowers of every color. "Oh!" I gasped at the sheer wonder of it all. The beautiful faces of the flowers just seemed to smile up to the sky. He let me down gently and turned to face me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"It's breathtaking here, isn't it?" I whispered..

"Yes, yes you are..." he breathed, leaned down and kissed me gently. "Bella, I have something I need to tell you..." He began but I couldn't let him continue.

I panicked and asked him something quickly-"What was Carlisle saying about Nurse Stoker that day?"

"What?" My question had taken him by surprise.

"You know that day in (gulp) Mrs. Murphy's house he was saying something about the nurse being through a lot with him?" I was grabbing at straws now.

"Oh, um..yes...she has been his personal nurse since she was first assigned to Carlisle upon our arrival in Forks. She is an exceptional human in that if she has, and I'm sure she has, been a witness to many events that were, shall we say, not altogether possible for a human doctor to accomplish, she has kept her nurse's oath and unfailing loyalty to Carlisle and has kept it to herself. He trusts her implicitly. It's highly unusual that any of us allow ourselves to get close to a human for that very reason," he smiled and stroked my cheek, "and then there are also exceptions like Mrs. Murphy..."

"Listen, Edward..." I interrupted, a tear escaping the corner of my eye, " I'm really sorry I got you all involved with Mrs. Murphy...I...I...I see what it's done to your family! What _I've _done to your family!" I was sobbing now.

Edward frowned, "Whatever are you talking about? Do you think they are sad? You think that they are in mourning, don't you?" He pursed his lips.

"Well...ya?" What the hell?

"No, Bella" He hugged me to his chest. He pulled back slightly, lifting my head to look into my eyes, "We are not in mourning for Mrs. Murphy. We are sad, mostly for your loss and ours, to a point, but to us, death is just a natural progression of a human's life and we have learned to have the proper perspective about it."

He lead me to a clear, dry patch of ground amongst the flowers. He sat down in one graceful movement and patted the spot in front of him. "Proper perspective?" I sat down in front of him and he took my hands in his. His face was excited like he had a secret he was bursting to spill.

"Yes. When someone...someone not like us dies, it affirms something strong within us. It confirms...no it s_trengthens _the love we have for each other. The literally undying love we have for our mates intensifies. That we shall not be planting each other, excuse the phrase, watching each other wither and die. That we will have all of eternity to express our feelings of gratitude for the other and that time itself is not going to cause the separation. Ever. We celebrate that Bella, each one of us. Can you understand that, my dearest Love?"

"Yes," I whispered, knowing in my heart it was true. Because I wanted that, all of it-all the time in the world just exploring new ways to love Edward.

"Do you remember that day Mrs. Murphy spoke to me alone?" I nodded, oh yeah. "She said to me 'She loves you with everything that she has locked inside her heart.' She challenged me to find the key and release your love and that I will be Blessed for the rest of eternity.' She said, 'Women like Bella only come around once to each lifetime.' And to 'Cherish you, honor you and never let you know a day of sadness caused by my own foolishness.' "

Tears of happiness were flowing freely down my face at the kind words my friend had spoken on my behalf to the man I adored. He caught a tear on his fingertip and spoke,

"'Trust her and she will complete you. Love her and you will complete her.' Those were the words she spoke to me that day and then I answered her with all my heart-'On my honor, I promise you.'" He kissed my hands and then the tears from my face.

"As you know," he stood us up, still holding onto my hands, "I haven't had a mate to share any kind of feelings with at all. I've always gone off by myself to contemplate what it meant to me, so much different than anyone else. I became increasingly appreciative of my family, but no more. But what good is eternity if you are not in it with me? And now," his smiled lit up his whole face and mine, "I'm ready, Bella."

"Ready, Edward? For...what, exactly?" I bit my bottom lip, suddenly confused at the turn this conversation was taking.

"I'm ready to give you what you want, when you're ready of course." There were a few things I wanted from Edward...which one was he referring to? Stupid things went through my head as I tried to grasp what he was trying to tell me..

"I'm completely ready to have you for all eternity without any reservations, no hesitation whatsoever on my part. Damn my soul if I've damned yours! I need to...no more than that I _want_ to make you my immortal. More than anything I've ever wanted in my life. I will happily, joyfully and with a free open heart change you so that we may live out each day together until eternity runs dry. Oh Bella!" He cried my name, pressing our lips together, urgently needing to feel mine on his.

My head swirled. If he hadn't been holding me I surely would have been on the ground. As it was, when he broke the kiss abruptly, I was panting roughly. He said it...he said the words I had longed to hear since I realized what he was and who I wanted to be. He was choosing me to live with him, to become like him, because he wants me to be immortal with him. Because one short human lifespan would not be long enough to hold our love.

"Bella," he waited for my breaths to slow and my heart to stop thumping loudly. Looking deep into my eyes, capturing his willing prey in his power he asked, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my immortal?"

"Yes, oh Edward, Yes!" I threw my arms around his neck.

Immortals together.

I said a quick prayer of thanks to Mrs. Murphy and then-he-

"_EDWARD_! Did you just cop a feel????"

"What ?!?! Me? Noooo..."

**a/n: ****Well there you have it. **

**What did you think of my idea about how the Cullens feel about human deaths? **

**Please review-If you like it or don't or have something to say about life. **

**I'm always interested in what you have to say! **

**Love and lemondrops!**

**BSL**


	8. Chapter 8: I Love My Famly!

**I LOVE MY FAMILY**

**Chapter Eight: I Love My Family, The Rest of the Story**

**Carlisle's POV**

**"Someday, you will go out into the world, my precious daughters **

**And Love will be offered by many people, many circumstances, many houses. **

**But it is the love of your family that is the most sacred, the most dear, the most enduring.**

**And I will always be here, waiting for you to listen your adventures and to give you my Love."**

**R. L. Fields**

"Carlisle?" Esme ran her cold, wet tongue up my throat to my ear sending electric shivers all through my body.

"Yes my darling?" I tongued her earlobe, taking it between my teeth, feeling the shivers run through her body.

"It's time for me to leave for the airport, my Love," she breathed onto my neck making my head loll back exposing my throat to her teeth.

I couldn't help but groan as I got up silently and started getting dressed. This signaled the end of our naked weekend in Seattle and the start of Esme's business trip to Colorado.

"Dearest...what is it?"

I turned to face my wife just as she was attaching her silk stockings to the light blue lace garter belt she wore underneath her modest clothes. She had one leg up on the chair, her long legs taunting me in all their glory. Her skirt was hiked up so she could clip the backs, exposing the black satin thong just a bit as it disappeared between her exquisitely round tush.

I hadn't even noticed that my hand had moved and unzipped my pants, I was so mesmerized from watching her across the room. Every time I catch a glimpse of her, it's like the first time, my Esme, my heart.

I was frowning, no, I was pouting like a child who can't go out and play today because the weather had turned sour. Putting myself away, I reluctantly zipped up and continued getting dressed. I inwardly chastised myself for letting her see my expression. I always tried to remain stoic while she was preparing to leave for her business trips, knowing how she felt just as crushed as I do by our separations. I encourage her to have a full life, pursuing her interests and passions. Architectural restoration being one of her many talents. She has made quite a name for herself in the field...well, several names for herself in the world of architectural design, consulting on many projects world wide. She has learned how to do this while remaining aloof and detached, staying out of the limelight and disappearing, changing her name whenever people try to get too close.

So I try not to show my true feelings every time she leaves, but I am probably not fooling her at all. She is quite in tune with my emotions so I must achieve an enormous effort.

"Nothing, Esme," I said lightly and plastered a damned happy smile on my damned happy face.

"You are pouting, Carlisle," She stood just moments before me, wearing a small smile and hands on her hips.

I looked at my shoes, I couldn't look into her eyes, I would break. "I..." I cleared my throat, willing my voice not to crack and betray me. "I hope you have a productive trip, Esme." Whew! I made it.

Unfortunately, I looked up just then and saw the only reason for my existence looking in my eyes with love and concern all over her exquisite face. That was it, I broke down. A pained expression burst through my stupid facade. I sat on the bed burying my head in my hands and sobbed uncontrollably.

She threw her whole body around me, laying us on the bed with my face between her firm, round breasts. My Esme. My home.

"Dearest, I'll be home in two short weeks." She spoke tenderly while she kissed the top of my head., "What is a couple of weeks when we have all of eternity together?" She was comforting me, trying to quell the panic I felt at her leaving me.

"I know. You're right. I'm being silly. I just...I love you Esme...you are my whole world. What am I going to do without you for two weeks?" I was trying to calm myself, but it ended up making the sobbing worse. I tried to comfort myself by burying my face between her loveliness.

Then, in an instant I became furious with myself for being such a pussy. I sat up quickly and turned away from her, rubbing my hands over my face. Over and over again, growling in anger.

"Carlisle," Her voice was plain yet cautious.

"UGH! I'm such a _wuss _! How can you stand to look at me!!"

"No you're not. Kiss me."

"DON'T PATRONIZE ME!! I _KNOW_ WHAT I AM! I AM A PATHETIC LOSER!"

Now she was pissed. "Don't you think I feel the same way? Two weeks without you will be hell-pure hell, nothing less. I don't know how I'm going to find the strength to walk out that door. _DAMMIT _!"

She was sobbing now and the guilt at what I had done to her washed over me and held me under, softening my anger, but intensifying the pain immeasurably.

"Esme!" I cried out and knelt before her putting my head in her lap in utter surrender, begging for forgiveness. She kissed my hair and laid her cheek on the top of my head and whispered,

"Ti amo, con tutto il mio cuore," ('I love you, with all my heart' in Italian).

"Ti amo, con tutta l'mia anima," I replied back to her ('I love you , with all my soul).

She stood up, coaxing me to get up off my knees and to sit on the bed. She kissed me softly and then walked across the room and got something out of her purse. Turning to face me, she was talking on her cell phone. She snapped it closed and with a sly look on her face, started to unbutton her blouse.

"Esme?" What was she doing?

"Later flight."

**xoxoxo**

Arriving home the next morning I was feeling pretty damned chipper. Parking my Mercedes in the driveway I stared with pride at the house Esme and I had made for our loving family. Things certainly have taken a turn for the better with the children since I had my talk with them and the brilliant idea to challenge them to better themselves in more fulfilling ways. A father could not ask for more intelligent, thoughtful, delightful children.

And then it happened.

Hearing a loud buzzing noise getting louder and closer overhead, I looked up just in time to see two small personal aircraft crash into the roof of the mansion-

_**BOOM! **_

The center of the house collapsed into itself and a fountain of dust and debris plumed 150 feet into the sky, slowly floating down to earth covering everything, including myself, in a one mile radius with what used to be our home.

Emmett was hanging on the gutter yelling obscenities at Jasper who apparently had ejected onto the roof of the garage seconds before the crash. Jasper was hopping around laughing while giving his brother the double middle finger dance.

Then I heard Rosalie's high pitched screeching for help, but before I could react to what I thought was an emergency situation, out she runs from behind the house screaming bloody murder at Alice who was chasing her with with a snarling chainsaw.

But, my attention was drawn suddenly to a very wet Bella and Angela who were both brandishing water hoses and had completely soaked each other. And there was my brilliant son Edward, laying in the grass on his stomach, head propped in his hands, devilish smile on his face, tongue lolling out of his mouth and panting like an animal watching Bella in her wet t-shirt.

Sigh... I love my family.

**FINI**

**The End**

**a/n: Well, that's the end of of the story..hope you enjoyed it. **

**I've had a lot of fun playing with Stephenie's world and I hope you did too. **

**Thanks to all of the readers and reviewers, you guys are wicked awesome! **

**Don't forget to review on your way out...take care, until next time... **

**Love and lemondrops,**

**BSL**

**Oh, and by the way: If you like your Edward and Bella covered in lemony goodness, **

**check out my two M rated stories, Why Do Good Girls Like Bad Boys and Kiss Me, Kill You...both over 1k reviews and climbing! **

**Naughty naughty Twilighters! I love ya!**


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